This Lovely NYC Neighborhood Was Modeled After An English Village
Forest Hills offers a little piece of the UK in Queens, with quaint Tudor-style houses and a town center with a LIRR station!
If you’ve ever been to Forest Hills in Queens, you probably felt like you hopped on a flight right across the pond — and that’s on purpose!
Though the main area of the neighborhood resembles other streets in the outer boroughs, once you head down 71st/Continental Ave and hit Forest Hills Station, you won’t believe you’re in NYC.
43 Greenway Terrace, Forest Hills Gardens, Queens,NYC, Listed With Terrace Sotheby’s Intl Realty
That’s because once you pass under that archway it will open up to Forest Hills Gardens, a NYC enclave that has some of the most enchanting storybook houses.
Forest Hills Gardens dates back to 1910, when it was laid out to mimic a traditional English village — according to The Cultural Landscape Foundation — with a shopping village, two parks, a “town square,” and of course, plenty of charming houses. In fact, only Tudor or Georgian houses were allowed to be constructed, with either red-tile or slate roofs. This was the work of the Russell Sage Homes Foundation, whose founder Margaret Olivia Sloan Sage always wanted to create an “an idyllic garden suburb.”
You probably now know of Forest Hills because of its stadium, which hosts big-wig concerts from Dolly Parton to Santana. Or for its tennis history — its West Side Tennis Club was home to the U.S. Open Tennis Championships from 1915-1977. It’s still a much-visited spot for tennis players.
Outside of Forest Hills Gardens in the rest of the neighborhood, you can munch on tons of delicious foods (it is in the World’s Borough after all!), enjoy old-fashioned shops and eateries, or just a bit of peace and quiet.
- Stroll through Station Square to take in a historic moment
- Try Jade Eatery & Lounge for delicious Asian fusion (and a koi pond)
- Or Forest Hills Station House if you’re fan of whiskey (and amazing pub grub)
- Martha’s Country Bakery for sweets and coffee (yes there are multiple Queens locations of this bakery, but it is that good!)
- Memories of Shanghai and Spy C Cuisine, which both received Michelin “Bib Gourmand” stars last year for cheap eats
- Go on a hike or stroll in Forest Park, perfectly named for its 165 acres of trees
- Then reward yourself with some ice cream from Eddie’s Sweet Shop, an old-school soda shop with homemade delights
Courtesy of SecretNY.com